GeoGraph - photograph every grid square

Crookston Castle

A late twelfth-century timber castle with a defensive ringwork was built here by Robert de Croc (see the end-note); the ringwork is still clearly visible, and its course can be followed around the ruins of the later stone castle. For example, in this picture, the outer and inner banks of the defensive ditch are visible behind the fence, crossing the image from left to right; see also: NS5262 : Defensive ditch of Crookston Castle — NS5262 : Defensive ditch of Crookston Castle — NS5262 : Defensive ditch, from top of Crookston Castle.

The position of a causeway across the ringwork can still be discerned at the site; it is close to a lodge which lies just a short distance to the west of the castle: NS5262 : Position of causeway in Crookston Castle's ringworks.

In the fifteenth century, the Stewarts of Darnley built the stone castle whose ruins now occupy the site; its north-eastern tower remains intact, and the top can be reached by means of metal ladders (although the castle was not open to the public when this picture was taken, I was kindly given permission to briefly explore the structure).

For another contributor's view of the castle, see Link

For a view of the remains of the hall of the castle, on an upper floor, see: NS5262 : Fireplace in Crookston Castle.

Much damage was done to the castle when it was besieged by James IV in 1489; some of the towers were destroyed in the resulting bombardment. The castle was finally abandoned in the late sixteenth century.

Crookston Castle is the second-oldest building in Glasgow (after the Cathedral). Archaeological excavations have suggested that there may have been a late Iron Age circular enclosure on the same hill — see "Archaeology Around Glasgow" by Susan Hothersall; note that the WoSAS entry for the castle includes the relevant part of that text, as well as some additional material: Link